Holmes has been dubbed the “Youngest Self-Employed Billionaire” by Forbes at the age of 32. Her revolutionary biotech startup, Teranos, was worth more than $ 9 billion, and in all respects was an incredible Silicon Valley Union – a company that promised to democratize its health care system through proprietary blood test technology. Holmes boasts of being able to do more blood tests with just a few drops of pinkie from one finger, and says you can do it faster, faster, and cheaper than traditional blood tests. Unless she can.
The Wall Street Journal It was too late in 2015 when he published a serious investigation into the company’s operations and Holmes’ loyalty. Teranos already sent blood tests to third-party vendors using traditional blood test analysis until it smoked its own technology. A.D. In 2017, Terranos filed an undisclosed lawsuit against Walgren and reached an agreement with investors to release potential legal claims against the company. A.D. In 2018, I wrote that I would not be surprised if the U.S. Attorney’s Office opened an open criminal investigation in Holmes, Northern California. It turned out that he did.
Holmes is currently charged with 12 counts of conspiracy to commit felony criminal mischief. Hormoz and Balvani are said to have lied about Teranos’ proprietary technology capabilities, the scope of trade and commerce, access to the Department of Defense, and the company’s financial position. Both pleaded not guilty and were tried separately.
In the pre-trial period, there was a hint of a possible defense. The Holmes team stated in court that the work could be used by a clinical psychologist focused on trauma and trauma, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Balwani further claimed that Teranos was more than a COO and Holmes co-defendant. Holmes and Balwani, Holmes’ attorneys prosecuted Balwani “strongly denied” the allegations.
More importantly, Holmes’ lawyers say that partner abuse affects the “agency” and the “mental state” of the victims – not just a matter of the government’s burden on investors in a false statement. , But she knew that the representations were false, and that she intended to deceive. According to parishioners, Holmes’ defense seems to have argued directly for what she believes and why. In other words, “Holmes is not to blame.”
Notice that the defense team tried to dispel the misconceptions that judges have about abusive relationships — they argue that Elizabeth Holmes could be a very successful business woman.
Of course, if this is Holmes’ defense, then the prosecutor must follow a good line when Holmes is accused of abuse at the hands of Balwani or can be considered “victim-blame” or “victim mockery.” However, the relationship did not affect her ability to see the lies she told to investors, doctors, and patients about the company.
Will lawyers gain credibility in defending Holmes’ “mental illness or disability”? Or do they feel that Holmes is using cultural time and making use of it? The answer will depend on the specific evidence presented by the defense, most of which are still unknown. I asked in the previous columns whether the #MeToo movement could have infiltrated our criminal justice system in a meaningful way. It is undeniable that the Holmes team is even trying this defense.
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